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#HappinessHabits613Can you name three things that you are grateful for? What about an experience in the last 24 hours that made you happy?

It takes 21 days to build a habit, I’m sure many of us have tried this before: eat healthier, workout more often, read everyday – all valiant and notable habit-building choices. But what about building your happiness? The questions above are the beginning to making your life a little brighter.

Manal Nemr, life coach, nutritionist Amy Longard, and yogi Kate Durie have started HappinessHabits613. This is an initiative to create a happier Ottawa and they will be kickstarting their program with a free event at The HUB on August 1st from 2-4 p.m.

If you can’t make it out to the event, join the Facebook group and participate in the 21-day challenge with your fellow Ottawans. You can expect to receive the down low on free events and check-ins throughout the 21-day adventure. Just some of the fun things you’ll get to participate in include Brown Bag Lunch n Learns at the HUB and Yoga & Meditation class at Pure Yoga Ottawa.

Alex and Marta at Railbender studio in 2014. Photo by the loveOttawa project

Railbender has become a favourite, not only in it’s own neighbourhood of Hintonburg, but around Ottawa. This isn’t only due to the great location, beautiful space, and talented artists, it’s also because of the people behind the art, the genuinely fun, kind and caring folk who work there. And now, co-owner Alex Néron needs our help. He has recently been diagnosed with colon cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. An initiative has been started to raise money for medical and living expenses not covered by OHIP.

Join the Railbender crew and all his supporters Saturday, August 1 at 10 p.m. at the Hintonburg Public House for a party – dancing to be encouraged by DJ Sweet Cheeks.

With support from Beyond The Pale (who donated a keg, 100% of the sales of this will go to the cause), a live auction and raffle with items from Victoire, PLAY Food & Wine, HPH, Beau’s, Zazaza, Wilf & Adas, and much more (check out the Facebook Page here)!

If you’d like to donate to the raffle or auction, get in touch with HPH. And if you can’t make it to the party, loveOttawa has created loveRailbender where you can e-transfer funds directly to Alex at loveRailbender@love-ottawa.com.Hintonburg Public House, 1020 wellington St. W., 613-421-5087, hintonburgpublichouse.ca

Summer is the perfect time to get your kids interested in reading for fun. Tell them to ditch all electronic devices, go outside, sit under a tree or laze on a cottage dock and start reading. Let them try Endangered: Mystery on the Daily News Beat, the new Young Adult novel from prolific Ottawa author Kate Jaimet.

Endangered is a fast-paced story about 17-year-old Hayley Makk. She is working for her father’s newspaper in Halifax. She is absolutely fearless — perhaps too fearless — and is determined to land a frontpage scoop. She is also sweet on a handsome young Mountie and learns not to drink and date. (Betcha Nancy Drew never got drunk).

Before Hayley can complete her investigation of a mysterious blood-splattered shack, her father pulls her off the story. Hayley is missing a credit in order to graduate high school. A teacher, Ms. Cameron, has cooked up a deal with Hayley’s father: Hayley will get a credit for biology if she helps the teacher locate and study a rare sea turtle supposedly living off the Nova Scotia coast.

Reluctantly, Hayley agrees to join the turtle search. Much to her chagrin, she has to work alongside Ernest, another teenager but one who is a nerdy tree-hugger and wouldn’t think of hurting a turtle, or any other animal, in the tiniest of ways. His radical pro-animal sensibilities scuttle the initial attempt to attach a tracking device to the rare turtle.

Author of Endangered: Mystery on the Daily News Beat, Kate Jaimet

Ernest is the kind of geeky boy teenage girls love to hate. Daredevil Hayley is the role model here. I suspect this means girls will love Endangered more than boys do. But, hey, you can’t please everybody.

Hayley soon learns there is a connection between the rare sea turtle and the blood-splattered shack. Good guys turn into bad guys. Shots are fired. The Mounties arrive. They get their man and Hayley, most chastely, gets hers, not to mention a great frontpage scoop.

Jaimet is the author of such Y.A. books at Dunces Rock, Dunces Anonymous, Break Point, Edge of Flight, and Slam Dunk. She is a former newspaper reporter herself, having worked at The Ottawa Citizen and the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal.

I would love to read more stories involving Hayley Makk, a more mature version of Flavia de Luce, the girl detective (and chemist) who is the phenomenally popular heroine of Alan Bradley’s books set in a small English town. Hayley has hormones; Flavia is too young for lust.

But will today’s juvenile readers identify with a teenaged newspaper reporter like Hayley? Is a newspaper setting as dated for today’s youth as horses and buggies? Maybe Hayley’s dad should have been a webmaster.

Endangered is to be released Aug. 4 from publisher Poisoned Pen Press.

Male Nude Polaroid 1

Male Nude Polaroid 6

Is the male gaze upon the female body different than the female gaze upon the male body?

This question so intrigued two established Toronto painters, Brent McIntosh and Shelley Adler, a few years ago that they embarked upon The Nude Polaroid Project. Each of the artists would take photographs of a nude model of the opposite sex. Then the works would be exhibited side by side.

Examples of the experiment were to be displayed at Galerie St-Laurent + Hill from July 30 to Aug. 22. The original Polarioid prints have been scanned and mounted on aluminum-like Dibond.

Based on some of the online images seen of the artists’ works in advance of the exhibition, I reached this conclusion: The images of the female nudes were far more imaginative than those of the male nudes. Now is that really a difference in the way men and women view each other or simply a difference in two artists, regardless of their gender? Go judge for yourself.For info: galeriestlaurentplushill.com

Marc Mayer, director of the National Gallery of Canada, was asked a few years ago how he planned to offer quality exhibitions despite shrinking revenues from both government and box office. Among his plans was to rely more on exhibitions from the gallery’s own art collection. And that is certainly what he has done this year.

Organizing a showcase for the likes of Picasso, Rembrandt or Renoir are very expensive. Insurance and transportation costs alone can make such shows too costly for penny-pinching art museums. Assembling exhibitions from the National Gallery’s own vaults is far cheaper. And so, this year, we are getting some detailed looks at gallery treasures that otherwise might have had less public exposure.

First up was M.C. Escher: The Mathemagician, which opened last December and continued until May. Maurits Cornelis Escher was an early 20th century artist best known for his prints of interlocking repetitive shapes and impossible architectures. Every long-haired hippie of the 1960s had an Escher print on the wall. The posters were most entertaining when the viewer was stoned on acid. But they remain fascinating for today’s audiences, even when no drugs are used.

Durham Cathedral from the Wear, Frederick H. Evans

This summer the gallery is offering two other exhibitions harvested from its collection. One is an exhibition of photographs by Victorian-era British photographer Frederick H. Evans, perhaps best known for his moody shots of architecture.

The Trampled Flowers, Marc Changall

The other summer-long show is a collection of prints by Marc Chagall telling the ancient Greek tale of the lovers Daphnis and Chloe. Both exhibitions close Sept. 13.

Then, come Oct. 9, there is the exhibition Beauty’s Awakening: Drawings by the Pre-Raphelites and their Contemporaries from the Lanigan Collection. This is an exhibition of 100 Victorian-era prints collected by Saskatoon dentist Dennis Lanigan. Twenty of the prints have already been gifted to the National Gallery. The other 80 are promised gifts. This is one of the best private collections of its type in Canada. The exhibition closes Jan. 3, 2016.

Interestingly, three of the aforementioned exhibitions (Escher, Chagall and Lanigan) were curated by the same person, Sonia Del Re, associate curator of European, American and Asian prints and drawings. Surely, Del Re was the hardest working curator at the National Gallery this year. It makes you wonder what all the other curators were doing.

The Ottawa International Busker FestivalStreet performances are no new source of entertainment. Busking, coming from the Spanish word “buscar”, dates back throughout ancient history and has been done all over the world by almost every culture. From England to France to Japan and North America, many of the same talents were performed hundreds of years ago as they are today.

Fast forward to 2015 and you can check out some of the international acts right here on Sparks Street with stages set up between Elgin and Lyon. Performers are coming from coast-to-coast; check out Silver Elvis from Toronto or the Circus Firemen from Australia. Crowds of over 225,000 will visit one of Canada’s oldest and biggest busker festivals.

Show times are between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. starting Thursday, July 30 and running through the long weekend. Check out the website for the schedule and don’t forget to vote for your favourite performer.

It’s free for all (but remember to bring your gratuities); save for an adult-only portion taking place Sunday, August 2 at the Marriott Hotel, 100 Kent St where our international buskers will be collaborating with some of Ottawa’s top burlesque acts! Tickets are $20 with only a limited quantity available. And don’t miss the grand finale on Monday, August 3, 6 p.m.Sparks St., ottawabuskerfestival.com

Capital RibfestSmell that? It’s the tantalizing aroma of ribs — lots of ribs! — slathered with barbecue sauce and smoking on an outdoor grill. Brought to you by Capital Ribfest, this meaty smorgasbord features a half dozen ribbers and grillers from Canada and the United States who, over the course of the long weekend, are cooking up a feast of beef ribs, pork ribs, chicken, and pulled pork sandwiches. You can also treat yourself to corn on the cob, salads, pizza, fries, doughnuts, ice cream, and a handful of gluten-free and vegetarian treats.

Up on stage, entertainment includes old-time jazz band the Boxcar Boys, local indie rockers Amos the Transparent, country rock duo Sons Command, and much more.

The festival is on at City Hall’s Festival Plaza from Thursday, July 30 until Monday, Aug. 3. Admission is free, but you pay for what you eat. The event is cash-only, with an ATM on site. See website for more info.Festival Plaza, City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. W., capitalribfest.ca.

Union Duke set to perform at the Black Sheep Inn Friday, July 31

Union DukeUnion Duke’s second studio album, Cash & Carry, is full of songs that wouldn’t be out of place at a campfire sing-along — which isn’t too surprising, given that it was recorded at a cabin in the Ontario wilderness.

The bluegrass/folk/country quintet has been playing together since they were 13 years old. Between their rollicking foot-stompers and only slightly slower paced reflections on love, it’s clear they’ve used that time well to perfect their rich vocal harmonies and master their finger picking skills. They perform at the Black Sheep Inn on Friday, July 31. Tickets start at $10.The Black Sheep Inn, 753 Riverside Dr., Wakefield, 819-459-3228, theblacksheepinn.com.

I’m not Jewish but my mother isIf the title of this play has any insight to the type of humour we can expect, I’m thinking irony. Gladstone owner, Steve Martin (for the foreseeable future anyway, as he has just listed the historic building for sale) wrote and features in this comedy with Rebekah Shirey and Barbara Seabright-Moore. Premiering Wednesday, July 28 and running through to August 8, Martin, playing Christopher, has a hot date and a (Jewish) mother who is getting in the way. Tickets are $30 and as it is general admission, be sure to arrive well before the curtain rise to have time to grab yourself a drink and a good seat.The Gladstone, 910 Gladstone Ave., 613-233-4523, thegladstone.ca

Full Moon Yoga – FreeDo you like to do yoga? Or are you one of those people that says you like to do yoga but never actually gets around to it (me)? Well, clear your schedule this Friday, July 31, 9 p.m. because it is free! With the full moon, and a blue moon at that, Rama Lotus will be hosting an event for all levels at Lansdowne outdoors, weather permitting, and indoors if necessary.TD Place, 1015 Bank St., 613-234-7974, ottawayoga.com (phone number and website for Rama Lotus)

Street Eats“Creating Food Events With You In Mind.”

I sincerely felt that TW Events had me in mind when they created Street Eats. On Saturday, August 1 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., head to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum to indulge in such big name foodie brands as Ad Mare, Brew Bar, Mill Street, Beaus, and more. Street Eats is also giving back to the community by giving a scholarship fund to one lucky Algonquin student.

Tickets are $20 for entry, and food and beer tickets are on special if you purchase online in advance: $15 for 20 tickets or $20 for 20 at the door.

Your ticket will also get you admission to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, an opportunity to win giveaways, enjoy live music by The Lionyls, participate in beer and food challenges, and be a part of the Street Eats video.Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, 11 Aviation Pky., twevents.ca/streeteats/

Ottawa’s Hidden GemsA placid lake in the midst of urban chaos, a boardwalk winding through greenery on the banks of the Rideau River, a solitary pine surrounded by stunning autumn marshes — these are the aspects of Ottawa that are rarely seen, but deserve a little love.

In Cube Gallery’s Hidden Gems, a group of six painters capture the beauty of Ottawa’s nooks and crannies, from Lemieux Island in the Ottawa River to Patterson Creek in the historic Glebe. The vernissage is on Sunday, Aug. 2. The exhibition continues until Sunday, Aug. 30. Admission is free. Visit the website for more info.Cube Gallery, 1285 Wellington St. W., 613-728-2111, cubegallery.ca.

This article first appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of Ottawa Magazine.

Photo by Marc Fowler/Metropolis Studio

Cuff LoveGive some edge to your summer style with a unique accessory, such as these cuff bracelets. Inspired by the rising sun, the sharp design of these cool accessories adds a special summery touch that is subtle enough to accent any outfit, day or night. $165–195. JV Studios and Boutique, 1282A Wellington St. W., 613-421-9696.

Before and AfterBefore stepping out, apply Kiehl’s Sun Protector Lotion Spray ($32) — the lightweight, oil-free formula won’t clog your pores and will protect your skin in the water or on land. Kiehl’s, 50 Rideau St., 613-860-7778. If you accidentally indulge in too much sun, ask for forgiveness while applying African Paradise Body Conditioner ($39.95), which contains cooling aloe and shea butter. And if it’s all just too much, Eau Roma ($9.95) will soothe you from head to toe with a calming rose-and-lavender spritz. Lush, 1200 St. Laurent Blvd., 613-564-5874.

Stand OutWedges never go out of style, but that doesn’t mean yours shouldn’t stand out. Turn heads from the beach to the boardwalk with a stunning pair of espadrilles. These Circus by Sam Edelman Sutton wedges will catch many eyes, and the 4½-inch heel will have you overlooking it all. $152. Nordstrom, 50 Rideau St., 613-567-7005.

Roped inIf you’re planning a long day at the beach, you’ll need to take supplies. Keep it stylish with a boho tote, like this trendy Lola raffia messenger bag. The woven-rope bag is accented by a braided metallic cross-body strap, leaving your hands free for beach chairs and bottles of wine. $228. Michael Kors, 50 Rideau St., 613-482-4000.

Fun & FlirtyNo beach day, road trip, or outfit is complete without the perfect pair of shades, and summer calls for a large collection of flirty styles. These heart-shaped Joyceanne sunglasses will add a little fun to your facade, and the thin gold frames mean that they match well with beach wear, festival duds, and patio dresses. $12. Aldo, 100 Bayshore Dr., 613-828-3300.

Ways of Something“When the camera reproduces a painting, it destroys the uniqueness of its image. As a result its meaning changes. Or, more exactly, its meaning multiplies, fragments into many meanings.” — John Berger, 1972, Ways of Seeing

More than four decades later, Berger’s observations — taken from his iconic four-part BBC mini-series, Ways of Seeing — is being reexamined by Canadian and other international artists: 110 of them, to be exact. Culled together by Toronto-based artist Lorna Mills, her mammoth art project, Ways of Something, will present video, 3D renderings, animated gifs, live web cams, and digitally manipulated visuals in the context of the 21st century (hence the Lana Del Rey collage), along with Berger’s original narrative and voiceover, in an effort to ask the question: is Berger’s ground-breaking 20th century presentation still relevant in the 21st century? Find out this Thursday, July 23 at SAW Video from 6pm to 11pm. Admission is free. For more information, visit website.SAW Video is at 67 Nicholas St.

The Creation of the World and Other BusinessWe all know the story: God created Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit offered by Lucifer, only to be ejected from the Garden of Eden as punishment for their transgression. But how did things get to this point?

This article was originally published in the Summer 2015 print edition of Ottawa Magazine

Lana Stewart, a.k.a. Modal Mom, with her six-year-old son, Alden Harrison, and their Babboe cargo bike — at the farmer’s market at Lansdowne. Photo: John Kealey

For Lana Stewart, a.k.a. Modal Mom, the choice to buy a cargo bike was a no-brainer: it’s the family vehicle.

The Babboe allows her to chat with her six-year-old son, Alden Harrison, about their next stop, that new park, and all the things they pass by. In addition, it holds a lot of pool toys, soccer balls, and groceries.

Sure to bring a smile to kids and passersby alike, cargo bikes are increasingly common in Ottawa. Most come from Europe and are custom-ordered through local bike shops (long and hefty, with a price tag to match, they’re not the kind of thing you pick up on a whim). From $2,600.

My next thought: This is so cool! I am so cool for trying this! Health experiments are cool!

Cool, indeed. Like, -130 Celsius cool.

The cabin is the first of its kind in Ottawa, and involves standing (or dancing around, in my case) naked in a nitrogen gas cooled cabin for up to three minutes— long enough for the surface of the skin to reach zero degrees Celsius. Your body then withdraws the blood from your extremities to your vital organs, restoring oxygen and increasing the blood’s nutrients. Post­-treatment, the super-oxygen-enriched blood first flows to the areas most in need of repair, ostensibly healing sore or injured muscles.

The end result, from consistent use: reduced pain and inflammation, improved joint function and injury recovery, increased energy and stamina, improved immune response – even stress relief and weight loss (the process supposedly ramps up your metabolism, allowing you to burn up to 800 calories in the hours following your session).

It’s getting colder …

The chambers were originally intended to treat certain medical conditions like arthritis, but athletes soon adopted the technology in hopes that subzero temperatures would help them to recover from strenuous workouts more rapidly. Think superstars like Lebron James and Christiano Renaldo, who I’m pretty sure are in better shape than I am, so maybe there’s something to it.

As for the actual experience: It was very cold. You may be inclined to act tough during the two-three minutes you’re being flash frozen, but I was shivering and breathing shallowly after a few seconds. It’s not painful, and not nearly as terrible as jumping into an ice bath, but, well, put it this way: imagine the coldest Ottawa day on record, quadruple it, and then imagine you’re wandering around outside naked.

Still, the feeling immediately after – invigorated, energized, refreshed – was real. As someone who works out a lot and usually suffers from sore, tight muscles, I can say that I felt less tight and sore than usual, and my friend who also tried it mentioned that she slept really well that night. I believe the effects become more pronounced when you use it regularly but I think it’s fair to say that sometimes the best way to recover and feel good is just to chill out.

In the shadow of the National Gallery of Canada — at the edge of Major’s Hill Park, the city’s first park — sits a small stone building. Built in 1901 under the supervision of architect David Ewart of the Department of Public Works, Header House was used for potting plants in a greenhouse complex that was dismantled in 1937. Now it is home to an art gallery that pushes boundaries and continues to serve as a fertile meeting place for creative energy.

Operated as a non-profit collective for the past 10 years, Blink Gallery has a unique agreement with the National Capital Commission.

The eight members of Blink host exhibits in the 320-square-foot building, which is not heated and is restricted to pedestrian access, “in exchange for animation,” explains vice-president Karina Kraenzle. (Also, Blink must close for Canada Day and is not allowed to put up any permanent external signs.)

The artists of Blink take animating that space, which would otherwise be empty, very seriously.

“What attracts artists to Blink is the idea of collaborating, of creating something that is bigger than themselves,” says Kraenzle, adding that Blink’s focus on experimental art allows for exhibitions that might be difficult to pull off at galleries that require detailed plans a year in advance.

In addition, the expansive green space of Major’s Hill Park allows for further exploration, such as performance art and music. As curious assemblages of metal and textile trickle out onto the manicured grass, tourists often stumble upon the space, as do locals who walk past the building on their way to work.

Blink Gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary this year featuring the works of some 40 past presenting artists. In the following months — until cold weather forces the space to close in October — a series of residences will showcase the artistic depth and range that make Blink such a treasure.

At big-name music festivals like Coachella, the spotlight is not only on the musicians, but on the street style seen in the crowds. Fashion has now become an integral part of the summer music fest experience, so expect to see editorial-worthy ensembles at this year’s Bluesfest as it kicks off its new #RBCBluesfestFashion campaign.

RBC Bluesfest is embracing the art of festival dressing, aiming to provide to an immersive and interactive fashion experience. A Style Squad of fashion journalists, bloggers, photographers and stylists will be on the lookout for the best-dressed attendees to post on Bluesfest’s social media. (Follow #RBCBluesfestFashion on Instagram and Twitter to stay updated on all the festival fashion on your smartphone and tag yourself in your own style-charged outfit with the hashtag for a chance to win a piece from local designer Kania.)

To help you get started on your festival look, we’ve gathered some items from some of our favourite shops at Bayshore Shopping Centre, including the new Desigual store.

Last week’s 6th annual Escapade Music Festival attracted about 28,000 people to the Rideau Carleton Raceway’s three stages of deep house, trance, and general chaotic romping. Ottawa Magazine’s David Kawai offers a primer on getting the most out of Escapade, posing for the camera, and other EDM fest basics.

Photo by David Kawai

Dressing in pink shorts is a great idea, but if this isn’t your first Escapade, you can let everyone know it by coordinating with a fellow chiseled-abs sunglasses-wearing EDM enthusiast. However, no matter how much of a festival veteran you may think you are, a support crew (preferably in matching crocheted crop tops) to balance your shaky impromptu shoulder ride for the camera is advisable.

Photo by David Kawai

Bring plenty of cash if you want to purchase an adult beverage. Bring more than you might think. If you’re new to big name music festivals, prepare to pay $11 for a tall boy — and they still put out tip baskets where you won’t miss them. The ATMs at the entrance served me well, but factor in the $4 service charge. None of this is surprising, people. Water is a hefty $4 for your first bottle, but sponsored free water refill stations are easy enough to find.

Photo by David Kawai

If there was ever an event that was too easy to photograph, it’s an EDM festival. The only problem is when you try to make candid photos of people near or next to you, they gather and pose in a way that files them in the category of promotional or hobbiest happy snaps. It’s almost hard to complain about everyone’s willingness to be featured, until you find yourself in a screaming match with your subjects when the bass drops: CAN I SEE? WHO ARE YOU SHOOTING FOR? WHERE CAN I SEE THE PICTURES? DO YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE?!!!

In truth, it’s not so bad

Photo by David Kawai

This is a place (possibly the only place) where your Doge tank top won’t be enough to help you stand out, so don’t forget to flex.

Photo by David Kawai

Due to the harsh nature of camera flashes and stage lasers, sunglasses at night (or under a dark trance tent) is not just a fashion accessory. It’s for your own safety.

Photo by David Kawai

Faces need touchups after hours of dancing. Just another practical use for sunglasses.

Photo by David Kawai

There’s a period between the initial afternoon kick and the evening headliner when you may question your ability to keep going. If you aren’t an experienced and disciplined power napper, my suggestion is to get off your phone, drink some water (or something stronger), move into the crowd, and try to lose track of time.

Photo by David Kawai

A view from the back can be just as immersive as a view from the front.

Photo by David Kawai

Stay looking your best and sneak in a few reps.

Photo by David Kawai

When red is worth more than gold.

Photo by David Kawai

A view from the Heineken towers, a new addition to the festival courtesy of the title sponsor, looks over the main stage and a sick sunset on Saturday night.